Process for the manufacture of motor fuels and similar products



March 26, 1929. D. J. YOUNG PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOTOR FUELSAND SIMILAR PRODUCTS a sheets-sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1927 MO -OINGIKKOLIW March 26, 1929. YOUNG 1,706,686

PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOTOR FUELS AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS FiledApril 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26; 1929. D. J. YOUNG 1,706,686

PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MO'TOR FUELS AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS FiledApril 13, 1927 3 Sheets-Shept 3 LIQUID OVERFLOW To SEPARATQR 0R STU-LRELIEF HOLDER. SQRUBBER DUN cums 5 I March 26, 1926.

Patented Ma 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.-

% D IEL J. YOUNG, 0F 'rAcoriA, WASHINGTON.

2ROCES FOR THE MANUFACTURE or MOTOR-FUELS AND IMILAR PRODUCTS.

4 Application filed April 13, 1927. Serial No. 183,625.

This application 1s a continuation in part of my copending applicationsas follows S. N. 570,207, filed June 22, 1922; S. N. (assess. filed Aug.20, 1923; S. N. 752,104, filed'Nov. 25, 1924; S: N. 37,931. filed June18. 1925; S. N. 41.733, filed Julv 6.1925;

s. N. 56,301. filed sept. 14.1925; Si N. 97,603,

three shell set to be, ordinarily, the most ecofiled March 26, 1926; S.N. 97,604, filed Acknowledgment ismade also of the applications ofGeorge E. \Vhitwell. S. N. 634.811. filed April 26. 1923, and F. V.Steere, S. N. 637,159, filed May 7, 1923. I

In the manufacture of carburetedwater as it is well-known, that therehas always been produced a certain amount of by-prodnot commonly calledwater gas tar. There are also contained in water gas certain unsaturatedhydrocarbons which may be condensed or" otherwise extracted from thegasin a known manner. I have discovered that the quality and amount ofthese tars and unsaturated hydrocarbons can be. to a large extentcontrolled if means are provided for a control of temperature andothercondit'ions 1n the various parts of an 011 treat-mg apparatussimilar to a water gas set. I have also discovered that the addition ofvarious gases and liquids into such an apparatus under controlledconditions of temperature will materially affect the production of thetars and hydrocarbons, this principle having been recognized in myapplications above referred to. especially applications, Serial Nos.570,- 207; 97.603 and'97.60

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus similar to a watergas set, so de signed that the temperature andother conditions in thevarious parts of the apparatus mav be easily and readily controlled. Itis well known that in the heating of a. water gas set. when air is blownthrough the fuel bed,

a producer gas 1s formed. and that. the location of the secondary airto-burn this'prod ucer gas governs the point of maximum temperatures 1nthe checker brlck.

A water gas set consists essentially of agenerator or fuel chamber andheat interchanger or interchangers commonly known as the car buretor andsuperheater. The accepted form of water gas set commonly known as athree .shell set, was adopted for structural and operating advantages.Similar results may be obtained in a two orfour shell set, but theeconomic reasons of" ease of operation, cost of original construction,ease of repair and maintenance, cost of necessary superstructures suchas buildings and fuel handling equipment, mconvenience ofauxiliaryapparatus and many factors have proven the nomical and etficient. I willdescribe an apparatus-similar to the three shell set, as a preferreddesign.

The present invention confines itself to the process and apparatus toproduce proper temperature and other conditions for the variousreactions to best take place and is not concerned specifically withmethods of handling the products, either gaseous or liquid, after havingbeen discharged from the set.--

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings whlch are intended for the pur-- pose ofillustration only, and are largely diagrammatic in character.

In the drawings Fig. 1 isa. diagrammatic view showing an arrangement ofthe gas making and oil treat ing portion of the apparatus, including thescrubber or condenser, in which liquid and gaseous'products areseparated, no portion of the cracking'or purifying apparatus fortreating the liquids after separation. being shown, as any well-known orstandard apparatus may be employed for this purpose.

Fig. '2 is a vertical section showing a gas generator and two heatinterchangers, and

the connections for supplying steam, air, gas and fuel, and forwithdrawing gas from the set. this construction being slightly differentfrom the arrangement shown in Fig.

1, in that Fig. 1 all the connections for supplying air, gas or the likeare interconnected,-

and all the gas outlets are interconnected, whereas in Fig. 2 the airand gas inlets are separate and distinct and the various gas ofitakesare also separatev from each other.

The apparatus employed may be similar tothat set forth in mycopendingapplication, S. N. 97,60 1, filed March 26, 1926, with modi- .ficationswhich avill be apparent from the present description and consists of astandard three shell watergas set as the basis of its design. There is,however, added to it where necessary, means for introducing air or othergases, steam, powdered fuel, oil or other liquids or fuels, and meansfor withdrawing gas or other products at the following points:

1st. Bottom of generator.

Qndw'l op of generator.

, 3rd. Top of carburetor.

1th. Bottom of carburetor.

, 5th. Bottom of superheater.

6th. Top of super-heater.

These specific locations are selected largely forv structural andoperating reasons. The object of these many connections is to provideboth an inlet for the various necessary elements in the process, and theoutlet for the resultant productsat every point where materialdifferences in temperature and other conditions may be expected and thepoints se;

lected practically cover all such points. Valves or other means ofcontrolling such 1nlets and outlets are provided so that the di--rection of flow through the set may be controlled as desired, Forinstance the flow may be from bottom of generator through the carburetorand superheater leaving the set at the top of the super-heater, or itmay be ust the reverse of this. The flow may be from the bottom of thegenerator and from the top of the super-heater, leaving the set at theottom of the carburetor. I

It may also be desirable to have connections similar to the old up anddown run water gas set so as to make the flow even more flexiblealthough it is believed that such connections necessitating expensiveand inefficient valves for handling hot gases will not be necessary.

In other words my invention consists in providing a method of producingthe widest possible variety of conditions of temperature and ran productcontrol in a simplified standard apparatus.

The apparatus includes as a basis of its design the usual water gas set,with certain modifications to be described hereinafter, and comprisesthe generator or fuel chamber 1, and the heat interchangers 2 and 3,common- 1y known as the,carburet0r and superheater,

respectively. I 1

exponents, and all These shells are of substantially standard design andas they are well known in the art they need not be described in detail,except with reference to the various connections by means of which thecontrol of temperature and other conditions is obtained. The generatormay be supplied with the charging otherwise treating the liquidconstituents derived from the process, such products including tar,ammonia, and many otherimport-ant constituents. From these constituentsI am enabled to separate out a product which may be used successfully asa motor fuel. The spe- -cilic apparatus for cracking, purifying andotherwise treating the said liquid constituents is not shown in detail,as well known apparatus may be employed for this purpose, in connectionwith the other apparatus herein described.

The connections forsupplying air, steam, gas, fuel, oil and the like tothe generator. carburetor and .superheater, and for Withdrawing gas oilvapors from the top and bottom of the generator, carburetor andsuperheater will now be described.

For simplicity, all gas or air inlets and their respective valves arereferred to by the letter A with suitable differentiatingexpo nents; allgas outlets and their valves are des-' ignated by the letter B withsuitable exponents, all steam and water inlets and'their' control valvesby the letter C with suitable oil or atomized fuel pipes, inlets orcontrol valves are designated by the letter D /W1t-l1 suitableexponents. Valves which control the flow through the set as a whole,rather than in particular inlets or outlets are designated by theletters E, F, G, and H in Fig. 2. In Figs. 1, 3 and 4:, which show thevarious air supply pipes interconnected,

and .the various gas ofli'takes interconnected, additional controlvalves as I, J, K, and-L are'required.

' The connections ,to and f'roln the three main shells of the set,namely the generator, carburetor, and superheater, will be most readilyunderstood by reference to-Fig. 2, for the reason that in this figure noattemptis made to show interconnections between the variousairinlets,and between the various gas ofitakes. In practice it is frequentlydesirable to have the various gas ofltakes envalves are shown at B, B Band B'ar The steam or water inlet control valves are designated as O, atthe bottom of the generator, I

at the top of the generator, C at the top of the curburetor, G at thebottom of the carburetor, C at the bottom of the super-heater and C atthe top of the superheater. The oil or atomized fuel, Whiclnmay beeither liquid or finely divided solid fuel, may bev supplied throughcontrol valve 1) at the bottom of the generator, D at the top of-thegenerator, D at the bottom of the carburetor, D at the top of thecarburetor, D at the bottom of the superheater and D at the top of thesuperheater.

It will be noted that a permanently free and unobstructed passageway maybe had for the passage of gas through the system as a wholethroughpipeconnection 4 connecting the top of the generator. with thetop of the carburetor, and through pipe {13 connecting the bottom of thecarburetor withthe bottom of the superheater.

Control valves E and F are located in th passage 41 connecting thebottoin of the gen-- erator with the bottom of the carburetor, andcontrol valves G and H are located in the passage 31 intermediate thetops of the carburetor and superheater. Y

The air supplied through the various inlets may come fromseparate andindependent sources, if desired, and likewise the products taken offfrom the various gas offtakes may "go to separate wash boxes, purifiers,separators, and. other known apparatus for treating combustible gas, andits by-products, both liquid and gaseous.

If desired, however, the air inlets may be intercbnnected, and likewisethe gas ofi'takes may be interconnected, as shown in Figs. '1, 3 and 4,all the gases passing from a single common oifta'ke pipe to wash box 13,through pipe 21 to relief holder:1 4,-thence through pipe 22 to thescrubber 15,"containing trays 24 in which the liquid and gaseousconstituents are roughly separated, as by means of the spray 25 at thetop of the scrubber, the

gases passing through pipe '26.to tlimrelief holder 16 and the liquidconstituentsv passing through pipe 27 to the separators, stills andother apparatus for furthertreatment, in a well-known manner.v

Where it is desired to recirculate a portion of the combustiblegases'taken ofi'from the set, in-the manner set forth in Whitwell ap-'plic'ation, Serial No, 634,811, filed April 26,

'- 1923, pipe 28 connects with pump or fan 17,

the said pipe being supplied with a control valve 29. Thus when thevalve 29 is open and the pump 17 in operation, a portion of the gases isby-passed through pipe 30 to the air main A which supplies all the airinlets.

If desired, a steam or other jet device placed in the by-passconnection'may be e1nployed for effecting the recirculation of gas,

in place of the pump or fan 17.

Air may be suppliedto the upright main Likewise valves a and a areprovided in the i main A above and below thepipes a and 30.

The air main A connects two sets of pipe connections, one at the top andone at the bottom of the set, through which the air or gas,

or a mixture'of both may be supplied to the shells 1, 2 and 3, throughthe inlets previously described. The upper pipes are controlled byvalves 1, J, Kjtlnd L, while the lower pipes are controlled by similarvalves 1, J K and L I Similar sets of pipes connect the gas olftakes atthe top and bottom of-the system, the upper set being controlled byvalves B and B while the lower set is controlled by valves B and B. Anupright gas ma n '13 connects the upper and lower sets of pipes,

and from the bottom of this main the gas oilftake 20 leads to the washbox 13, as previously described.

Theparts and connections described above in detail are to be understoodas illustrative only, as showing one meansfor carrying out the processesdescribed herein, but it-wlll be understood that other means may beemployed for carrying out the same, or equivalent processes. t

I will describe several cycles of operation, all of which will produce aconsiderable amount of motor fuels and other liquid products, and at thesame time as a lay-product produce gaswhich may be used in an industrialor commercial gas plant.

1. (a) Blast as in the standard water gas operation, but add thesecondary air at the bottom of the superheater. This will heat thesuper-heater somewhat higher than .in the standard-water gasoperation,and the carburetor somewhat lower. Referring to Fig.

valve, all the other valves shown in this figure being closed.

steam at the bottomof the generator, oil at the top of the carburetor,and if desired, at the top of the s'uperheater taking'ofli' gas at thebottom of the superheaten After such a cy'-.

cle, I introduce stam at the top of the superheater and takeoff gas atthe bottom of the generator, to make water gas, and to remove (12)Run.fDuring the run :I introducd A through pipe a controlled by a valve(1 V the carbon which has accumulatedon the checker-brick. It is obviousthat the resultant gas will contain a much larger amount of liquids thanstandard water gas,

may be substituted forthe oil, if desired.

The firstpart of cycle 1 (b) may be accomplished by leaving valves C I),D and 13 open, all the other valves shown in Fig. 2 being closed. V

The second part of cycle 1(1)) may be 'performed by leaving the valvesC,E and B open, all the others shown in Fig. 2'being closed.' I I 2. (a)-Blast according to the standard water gas method. v(b) Then introduceoil at the top of the superheater and take out the gas at the bottom ofthe generator. (0) F01- low this with a back steam run to remove thecarbon. Such operation wilhdepositon the fuel bed acting as a filter,most of the heavier tars thus tending to build up the fuel bed, and theresultant gas will contain only the lighter con'densible hydrocarbons,which may be recovered. This method of'operation will bex desirable whenoils of high fpee carbon content are used. I

During cycle 2 (a), the valves A E, A andthe stack valve are open, andall the others closed. During 2'(b) the valves D, E and B are open andthe others closed. During 2' (0) the valves OF, E and B are open, andthe others closed.

The gas and volatiles are withdraevn from the bottom of the generator. y

In this cycle also, the oil may be admitted at the carburetor, or at thetop of the generator, or at two or more locations at once, ifdesired,and, as heretofore stated, pulverized solid fuel containingvolatiles may be sub- I stitu'tedfor the oil.-

3. (a) ,Air blast in the standardinaimer and then (b) introduce oil atthe top of the carburetor, if desired,and/at the topof the superheater,taking off the gas'at the bottom of the superheater, using no steamduring this part ofthe run. At the end of the oil run steam may be used,employing either an up run or a back runto free the superheater ofcarbon In 3 (a) the valves A, E, A and the i stack valve of Fig. 2are'open, and the others closed; During the first part of 3 (b), in

making an uprun, the valves C H and B are open and the others closed.'In making a,

back run, the valves C, E, and B of Fig. 2

are. open and the others, closed. In orderto separate the gases takenofl:" from ,various outlets, it may be desirable to provide separatemeans for withdrawing and storing gas which liquids'may be recovered byany of the well' 1,7oc,ese

manner.

The gases produced under different cyclesv will vary materially inspecific gravity, and this fact may make it desirable to keep themseparate.

The gas after having the valuable oils removed may be of such qualitythat it is not desirable to use it as such. WVith the apparatusdescribed, this. gas may be passed through the set again by anysuitable-means as pump 17, and again subjected to heat, which willchange it into the desired quality, such re-circulation being describedin the copending application of George E. WVhitwell, Serial No. 634,811,filed April 26, 1923.

K It will be obvious that the present appli-, cations embodies thebackrun principle specifically claimed in its relation to a gas makingprocess in other of my applications, the present application dealingmore particularly with the application of the backrun to the manufactureof motor fuels and other liquid products. The apparatus employed issubstantially the standard water gas apparatus, with modifications,which may be readily applied, andis simple in construction and easy tooperate, in such a manner that an infinite variety of temperatureconditions may be obtained, whereby the quality and composition of theresulting product may be lation, of carbon.

The raw products used arecheap and eas- 11y obtainable. For example,Clllt e 011 may be used in the carburetor and snperheater in place ofthe expensive gas 0118 at present employed, or finely 'vided powderedfuel containing volatiles, n ay be employed in place of the oil. Thegases employed are generally air and steam, though for the distillingoperation hydrogen, orevcn an inert" gas, such as nitrogen,,may be .usedin'place of or together with steam during the back run, to

serve as a carrier of heat, or-as a source of:

nitrogen, where ammonia isto be recovered from the product. Also, whereoxygen is 3. A method of making combustible gas available, this may besubstituted for the air used in blasting, under certain circumstances.

Instead of steam, water may be employed, as

set forth-in some of my co pending applications. 'Other, modificationsand variations may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention 1. A process for producing liquid hydrocarbons,combustible gas and-similar products, in an apparatus comprising a fuelchamber containing solid carbonaceous fuel, and a heat interchangerchamber in communication therewith, which process comprises producingmaterial differences of temperature between different zones in the aparatus by blasting the fuel in the fuel cham er and passing theresulting hot gases through the heat interchange chamber, and after thetemperature differences have been established, selectively admittingfluids, including air, steam, combustible gas and finely dividedhydrocarbons to the apparatus at zones between which materialtemperature differences exist, subjecting such fluids to heat treatmentand chemical reaction in the apparatus, and selectively withdrawing theresulting gaseous products from zones between which material temperaturedifferences exist, after having passed through the fuelbed, andseparating I gaseous liquid hydrocarbons from said product.

2. A process for producing liquid hydrocarbons, combustible gas andsimilar products in an apparatus comprising a fuel cham ber containingsolid carbonaceous fuel, a primary heat interchange chamber and asecondary heat interchange chamber, which process comprises producingmaterial differences of temperature between different zones of theapparatus by blastin the fuel in the fuel chamber and passing theresulting hot gases through the heat interchangers, the zones betweenwhich material temperature differences exist includingthe tops andhottomsof each of said chambers, and after the temperature differenceshave been. established, selectively admitting fluids, including air,steam, combustible gas and finely divided hydrocarbons to the apparatusatthe'top of the fuel chamber, the bottom of the fuel chamber, the topof the primary heat interchange chamber, the bottom of the primary he'atin terchange chamber, the top of the secondary heat interchange chamberand the bottom of the secondary. heat interchange chamber,

- subjecting such fluids to heat treatment and chemical reaction in theapparatus andselectively withdrawing the resulting gaseous products fromthe various zones between which material temperature differences exist,after having passed through the fuel bed, and separating liquidhydrocarbons from the gaseous product. a

and liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an apparatus comprising a fuel heatingchamber containing a bed of solid fuel, and a heat interchangerconsisting of at least one shell containing checkerbrick, which methodconsists in first air blasting the fuel bed of the fuel. heating chamberand storing the resulting heat in the heat interchanger, thenintroducing carbonaceous material containing volatiles into the heatinterchanger, whereby a gas is produced;

passing saidgas ina direction reverse to the blast through the heatinterchanger and through the fuel bed of the fuel heating chamtainingvolatiles at the top of the secondary heat exchanger, passing it in adirection reverse to the blast, through the set as a whole. withdrawingthe resulting gaseous product from the bottom of the fuel heatingchamber afterpassingthrough the fuel bed, and cooling said product toseparate the condensible portions from the permanent gas. a

5. A process of simultaneously making motor fuel and combustible gas byair blasting fuel bed, passing the heated com and thereby heating asolid fuel bed in a fuel chamber, burning the blast gases to heat oiltreating and heat exchanging chambers, generating combustible gas bysteam blasting the heated fuel bed, passing the heated combustible gasinto the oil treating chamber in contact with liquid hydrocarbon andtherebyvaporizing the hydrocarbon, passing the mixed by drocarbon vaporsand combustible gas into a heat exchangingchamber and a scrubber andthereby separating and recovering hydrocarbon motor fuel from thecombustible gas, the'n intermittently passing steam reversely throughthe heat exchanging, oil treating and fuel chambers to remove depositedcarbon and to generate combustible gas, and periodically repeating theaforesaid cycles.

' 6. A process for simultaneously makmg liquid hydrocarbons andcombustible gas, by air blasting a bed of solid fuel in a fuel chamber,burning the blast gases to heat oil treating and heat exchangingchambers, generating combustible gas by steam blasting) the heatedustible gas into the oil treating chamber, in contact WltlL. I

liquid hydrocarbon and thereby vaporizing the hydrocarbons, passing themixed hydro- 1 carbon vapor and combustible gas into a heat exchangechamber and withdrawing the gaseous product from the heat exchangechamber, intermittently passing steam reverselythrough the heatexchanging, oil treating and fuel chambers to remove deposited carbonand produce gaseous products, withdrawing said gaseous products from thefuel chamber, pe-

riodically repeating the aforesaid cycles, and separating and recoveringliquid hydrocarbons suitable for use as amotor fuel from the combustiblegas in the withdrawn gaseous products.

7 A process for simultaneously making'l iq uid hydrocarbons suitable foruse as a motor fuel, and combustible gas, by air blasting a the heatexchange chamber, withdrawing the gaseous product from the heat exchangechamher, and intermittently extracting the volatile hydrocarbonconstituents of finely divided raw fuel by mingling with said fuel ahighly heated gas, then sweeping said volatile con stituents' and gasthrough the. fuel Chamber in a direction reverse to the aforesaid steamrun, withdrawing the resulting gaseous products from the fuel chamber,and separating and recovering liquid hydrocarbons from the withdrawngaseous product.

8. A process for making liquid hydrocarbons suitable for use as motorfuel, and combustible gas, by air'blasting a bed of solid fuel in a fuelchamber, burning the blast gases to heat oil treating and heat exchangerchambers', generating combustible gas by steam blasting the heated fuelbed, passing the heated combustible gas into the oil'trea-ting chambercontact with liquid hydrocarbons, and thereby vaporizing thehydrocarbons, passing the mixed hydrocarbon vapor and combustible gasinto a heat exchange chamber and a scrubber and thereby separating andrecovering liquid hydrocarbons from the combustible gas, thenintermittently passing a gas making fluid rcversely through the heatexchang,

ing-and oil treating chambers, whereby it is highly heated, minglingfinely divided raw fuel containing volatile hydrocarbons with saidhighly heated gas and thereby extracting said volatile hydrocarbons,then sweeping said volatile constituents and heated gases through thefuel chamber, withdrawing the gaseous product from the fuel chamberafter,

passing through the fuel bed, and separating and withdrawing the liquidhydrocarbons from the combustible gas, I i

9. A process for simultaneously making liquid hydrocarbons suitable foruse as a motor fuel and combustible gas, by airblasting a bed of solidfuel in a fuel chamber, burning the blastgasesto heat a heatinterchanger,

generating combustible gas by steam blasting the heated fuel bed,passing the combustible gas through the heat interchanger and minglingwith said gas finely divided raw fuel containing volatile hydrocarbons,employing the heat of said combustible gas and the heat stored in saidheat inter-changer for extracting and vaporizing the hydrocarbons,separating and recovering liquid hydrocarbons from the combustible gas,and intermittently passing a gas making fluid reversely through v8O theheat exchanger, and fuel chamber, employing said reverse gas-stream forextracting volatiles from finely divided raw fuel, withdrawing thegaseous product from the fuel chamber after passing through the fuelbed, and separating and recovering the liquid 11y- .drocarbons from thecombustible gas.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. I DANIEL J. YOUNG.

